PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME

US, 2010, 116 minutes, Colour.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arturton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina, Steve Toussaint, Toby Kebbell, Richard Coyle, Ronald Picker.
Directed by Mike Newell.

In terms of colourful action, Prince of Persia elicits a number of 'Wows'! If you want action, you've got it, in exotic settings with plenty of special effects.

It has been produced by veteran Jerry Bruckheimer, well-known for many a slam-bang show from Top Gun, Con Air to the Pirates of the Carribean franchise. This one looks as if somebody made him a bet that he couldn't produce a movie that was almost all action (with a few conversations here and there which do not really halt the momentum at all). He has won the bet.

We are back in the Persian Empire with the rule of a powerful king (Ronald Pickup) who relies on his younger brother for support and loyalty (Ben Kingsley). He has two sons but is impressed by the derring do and challenge of a young orphan in the marketplace and adopts him as his son. Right from the start we see Dastan, the boy (who grows up to be Jake Gylenhaal) running, jumping, leaping, bouncing, somersaulting, swinging. Director Mike Newell said that Gylenhaal spent weeks rehearsing all these moves and stunts doing a number of them himself but still letting the stunt doubles get plenty of action. (One distraction, however, Gylenhaal's accent seems as if it has been dubbed in a Jude Law vein with a touch of Michael Caine.)

The King wants to confront a sacred city to investigate their loyalty or whether they were making and shipping arms to enemies of the kingdom. The armies invade, prepare for a siege, but Dustan uses his wits and his athleticism and in no time has entered the city, opened the gates, poured boiling oil on the defenders. It is all breathtaking stuff – and we are probably more out of puff than Dustan is.

In the city there is a princess (Gemma Arteton), guardian of a dagger that has mystical/magical powers and can reverse time – which comes in handy at a number of times of danger, and is most useful for the ending.

When the king dies burned, by a poisoned cloak, Dustan is blamed, so that leads to lots of trekking though the desert, lots of chases, encounters with a Sheikh who calls himself an entrepreneur (and has all the funny lines, delivered humorously and lightly ironically by Alfred Molina). He has a servant from the Sudan who is the quickest with knife throwing, and he comes in handy many a time and for the climax.

By this stage, we might think that action might let up and the conversations get a bit longer and more frequent, but they don't. There is really only one kiss between Dustan and the Princess, so very little time wasted on romance.

Treachery, deceit, plots, more chases and, with echoes of Indiana Jones and the National Treasure films, caves with traps, fire, erupting sand and even more heroics.

Yes, it is a lavishly produced adventure (even with some literal cliffhangers, especially at the end) of the Boys' Own kind (which may be a bit too junior macho for a female audience) but it is exciting and entertaining matinee material for any time of the day or night. Older audiences might be reminiscing about those b-budget adventures from the 1950s with Tony Curtis, Victor Mature and Piper Laurie. The Prince of Persia is much the same only larger, longer, pacier.

1. A satisfying Boys’ Own adventure? Action and pace?

2. The basis in a video game, the transition to a story, to a screen narrative?

3. The exotic aspects, the Persian empire, the desert, the armies, the cities, sacred sites, the sheikh’s village, secret caves?

4. The Moroccan locations and atmosphere? The special effects? Stuntwork?

5. The musical score, atmosphere? Pageantry?

6. The theme of lives linked, destiny? Magic?

7. The voice-over, the explanation of Dastan? The trouble in the streets, the king and entourage passing by, Nizam and his support of the king, the sons? Dastan defending the young boy, the elaborate chase, dangers, athleticism? The king impressed and adopting Dastan?

8. Dustan growing up, the serious sons, Dastan and his wrestling, summoned to the king, the bonds between brothers and loyalty?

9. The sacred city, the reports, the discovery of weapons? The king sending his son? But not to attack? The siege, the advice, Nizam and his wanting the attack? Dastan and his superseding orders, infiltrating, the arrows, the ladders, the athletics, the boiling oil, opening the gate, success?

10. The battle to enter the city, the princess, her sacred status, people in attendance, the sacred dagger and its secret? Tus and his proposals to the princess? The threats? Wanting an alliance? The princess seeing Dastan with the dagger?

11. Dastan, the fight with the princess’s attendant, getting the dagger? His attraction to the princess?

12. The king, anger at the attack, trying to make peace, the gift of the coat, his death? Dastan accused because of offering him the coat? His escape, taking the princess, the dangers?

13. In the desert, fleeing, the various chases? Thirst, the two arguing? The decision to go to his father’s funeral? Hidden, in the city, the contact with Nizam, trusting him, meeting him, the treachery and the truth?

14. Sheikh Amar and his followers, Seso and his skill with blades? The stories, the princess, the sheikh and his greed, the ostrich races, the confusion, the escape? His reputation? His jokey style?

15. Dastan and his plea to his brothers, not believed, the various fights, Nizam and the revelation? Tus believing Dastan?

16. The dagger, the sands, the visuals of Dastan going back in time, returning to the present? The princess as the guardian of the dagger? Nizam and his wanting it to have power, to reverse his relationship with the king, to kill him as a boy – and the flashbacks to the story of Nizam saving his brother from the lion? The mission to return the dagger to its place and prevent Armageddon?

17. Nizam, his treachery towards his brother, his hiring the assassins?

18. The assassins, the visuals, the pursuit, the fights, the danger, Dastan eluding them?

19. The finale, the cave, fire, sand, the cliffs? Seso and his restoring the dagger? Nizam’s death?

20. Minimal romance, quips, the kiss, the self-sacrifice?

21. The restoring of order, no siege, the betrothal of Dastan and the princess, her not quite remembering? The restoration of empire?